Tour '25, Stage 3: A Solo Effort for a Sole Point

Right before Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates) went off the front of the peloton, he could be seen talking with those around him on the front line of the group.  It almost looked like he was asking permission to go off on this solo raid for the lone KOM point on the top of the only climb of the day.  Whether he was allowed to go, or simple had the power to ride off on his own, he came alone to the top of Mont Cassel.  He claimed the one point towards the King of the Mountains competition taking the jersey off of his team leader, Tadej Pogacar.  There was some speculation that this would allow Pogacar more time to recover by not be obliged to go to the podium presentations nor sit for post-race interviews.  The other possibility is that he would rather be in his rainbow jersey for now and then trade in for the coveted Maillot Jaune.  Whatever the plan was, Wellens is now the leader in the King of the Mountains competition.  

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The work sells for $99 USD including shipping, but, yes, international shipping is both available and extra.

"A Solo Effort for a Sole Point TdF25-16" (Original art by Greig Leach)

Paris Roubaix ‘24: Chasing the Chasers

Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ) had crashed out of the chasing group up ahead and was making little progress towards rejoining his teammate ahead.  That was until Gianni Vermeersch (Alpecin-Deceuninck) came up from the next group back on the road.  It may not have been wise for Vermeersch to tow Pithie up to the chasing group since that would bring another Groupama-FDJ rider to help the chase of his own team leader.  However, by now, Mathieu Van Der Poel was three minutes up the road with little chance of anyone seeing am until the fable showers under the Roubaix Velodrome.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra. 

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/4008495-573-195767/Painting/chasing-the-chasers.-pr24-14.html

Tour de France 23, Stage 16 ITT: Inside the Final Kilometer

Bedecked in his Belgium National Time Trial Champion's jersey, Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) was on a storming ride.  He was posting the new best time at the first three time checks out on the 22 kilometer course.  Urged on by the fans inside of the final kilometer of the stage, it was beginning to look like Van Aert may unseat the race leader from the hot seat, Remi Cavagna (Soudal-Quick Step).  He has been looking for a stage win for the previous fifteen stages, was today going to be the day?

Spoiler alert: He did have the best time when he finished, but he did not win the stage.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $95 USD including shipping, but yes international shipping is both available and extra.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2023/3966058-106-297438/Painting/inside-the-final-kilometer-tdf23-106.html

 

Tour '22, Stage 6: Down to Two

The Tour is racing in both Belgium and France today, so it was no big surprise to see both flags cheering the Maillot Jaune on along the roadside.  It had to be more exciting to see a Belgium, Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) wearing yellow and leading the peloton. He was working well with the Tour debutante and youngest rider in the Tour, Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo).  Although I don't see I saw the stars and stripes of the American flag on the road today.  I guess he will just have to claim that the red, white and blue of the French flag really stands for that of the USA.  The duo had dropped their other break away companion, but still had two minutes on the peloton with 46 kilometers to race.  They have a chance, but it is a slim one.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3892513-29-294403/Painting/down-to-two-tdf22-29.html

 

Liege Bastogne Liege '22: Out on a High Note

 A bit of symmetry in today's finish of Liege Bastogne Liege.  Today's race was in honor of the last Belgium rider to win this race, Philippe Gilbert.  Today, it was a new young home country man, Remco Evenepoel (Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl) who claimed the win in front of his countymen in Liege.  It is also the first of the Belgium, French, and Dutch classics that his team has won.  That is a very rare occurrence for this team based in Belgium.  Equally, he was move to tears with his win.  As he said in his post race interview, he has been struggling both physically and mentally.  This win meant everything to him, and his team.  Behind him is a climate change protestor, whom I have seen at the finish of races previously.  The protestor runs (without endangering the competitors) behind the finishers hoping to get his slogan on camera and seen around the world.  Seems a good and relatively harmless way to get his message out.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Spring-Classics-/3881106-507-195767/Painting/out-on-a-high-note-lbl22-7.html

Gent-Wevelgem Women '22: Appearing When It Matters

All race long Elisa Balsamo (Trek-Segafredo) had been lurking around the back of the peloton allowing her teammates to chase down all of the attacks (it is their job since she is the team leader). Yet here she was showing herself just when being seen meant she was able to take out the victory in the eleventh edition of the women's Gent-Wevelgem.  Just off camera it was last year's winner Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) taking second, with Maria Giulia Confalonieri (Ceratizit-WNT) taking the last step of the podium.  Perhaps because she kept going in all of the break away attempts, Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx) had to settle for fouth on the day.  Those waving the Belgium flag behind the mass sprint would have dearly prefered the Belgium champion to have one rather than the Italian in the World Champion's Rainbow Jersey.

This is the last of this race's paintings.  I'll be back next week with both the men's and women's Ronde Van Vlaanderen.  There will be more races after that with the big one being both the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes this July.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $75 USD plus shipping, and yes international shipping is available.

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Professional-Womens-Cycling/3875783-40-207546/Painting/appearing-when-it-matters-gw22-13.html